Four Refuseniks Get Exit Visas

April 17, 1978

NEW YORK (Apr. 16)

Four prominent longtime refuseniks have been given exit visas to emigrate to Israel in what was seen here as a move by the Soviet government in preparation for Secretary of State Cyrus Vance’s trip to Moscow this week, the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry and the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews reported today.

They identified the four as: Joseph Ahs, a 33-year-old Moscow surgeon; Joseph Blich, 40, a mathematician; and Arkady Rabinov, 31, a radio engineer, both of Leningrad; and Moshe Shipper, 59, a mechanical engineer from Kharkov. The four have been seeking visas from three to six years.